Shopping · Charleston · United States
Shopping in Charleston
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dima Sergiyenko; Please attribute this image as the work of " DiscoverWithDima .", CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
King Street is Charleston's shopping spine: antique dealers at the lower end, national fashion brands and local boutiques in the middle, and design and homeware stores north of Calhoun Street. The City Market is the place for sweetgrass baskets and edible souvenirs. Best souvenirs: Sweetgrass basket, Benne wafers and Stone-ground grits.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Sweetgrass basket
Where to shop
Lower King Street
Antique shops and galleries south of Market Street, known for silver, prints and furniture.
Middle King Street
Fashion brands, local boutiques and the Shops at Charleston Place around Market Street.
Upper King Street
Independent design, homeware and outdoor-clothing stores north of Calhoun Street.
Broad Street
Art galleries and framers alongside law offices near the Four Corners of Law.
Markets
Charleston City Market
Four blocks of vendors with sweetgrass baskets, crafts and food products.
Charleston Farmers Market
Saturday market in Marion Square from spring to autumn, with produce, food stalls and crafts.
What to buy
Sweetgrass basket
Hand-coiled baskets made by Gullah artisans, a craft brought from West Africa; small pieces are more affordable.
Benne wafers
Tins of thin sesame cookies, a long-standing Charleston speciality.
Stone-ground grits
Bags of grits from Lowcountry mills to recreate shrimp and grits at home.
Charleston-grown tea
Tea from the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island, sold in local shops.
Lowcountry prints
Art prints of marshes, egrets and Rainbow Row from galleries along Broad Street and King Street.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · South of Broad
Rainbow Row
Thirteen pastel-painted Georgian row houses along East Bay Street, built as merchants' houses with shops on the ground floor in the 18th century, form Charleston's most recognisable street front.
- Time needed
- 15–20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Market · French Quarter and Market area
Charleston City Market
Four blocks of open-sided sheds run from Meeting Street to East Bay Street, with the 1841 Greek Revival Market Hall at the head.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Kids
- Rainy day
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Fried green tomatoes, Pimento cheese, Benne wafers and Sweet tea. Brunch spots and Southern restaurants throughout downtown. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| South of Broad | $$$$ | Grand single houses, walled gardens and the Battery promenade at the tip of the peninsula |
| French Quarter and Market area | $$$$ | Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park |
| Upper King | $$$ | Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street |
| Harleston Village | $$ | College of Charleston campus, Colonial Lake and leafy side streets |
| Mount Pleasant | $$ | Suburb across the Ravenel Bridge with Shem Creek docks and Patriots Point |
| Folly Beach | $$$ | Laid-back surf town on a barrier island with a long fishing pier |
| Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island | $$$$ | Quiet barrier islands with wide beaches and resort golf at Wild Dunes |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in USD. Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars for carriage drivers, walking-tour guides and hotel housekeeping.
- Greet shop staff and people you pass on quiet streets; a 'good morning' is expected.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January; the busiest months are April–May.
- January: Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall (usually late January or February)
- March: Charleston Wine + Food festival (usually early March)
- March: Festival of Houses and Gardens — private house tours (usually March to April)
- May: Spoleto Festival USA — performing arts across the city (usually late May to early June)
- June: Spoleto Festival USA continues (usually until early June)
- September: MOJA Arts Festival — African American and Caribbean arts (usually late September to early October)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and shopping
Upper King
Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Charleston?
Sweetgrass basket, Benne wafers, Stone-ground grits and Charleston-grown tea.
+Where is the best shopping in Charleston?
Lower King Street: Antique shops and galleries south of Market Street, known for silver, prints and furniture.
+What are the best markets in Charleston?
Charleston City Market and Charleston Farmers Market.